FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 28. 2014, 7:00 AM Contact: Kevin D. McGee, (907) 441-2137 Republican School Board Candidate Goes on Racist Tirade VIDEO: Don Smith says diverse student body “clearly is causing problems” ANCHORAGE: School Board candidate Don Smith went on a racist tirade in an interview with APRN, saying that Anchorage’s diverse student body “clearly is causing problems,” and Smith lamented that “we can’t tell all these people to go back to Indonesia or Africa or whatever country they came from.” “Don Smith’s racist comments have no place in a diverse, inclusive community like ours,” said Anchorage NAACP 1st Vice President Kevin McGee. In the interview, APRN’s Daysha Eaton asked Don Smith what was responsible for the school district’s rising graduation rate and declining dropout rate—trends that clearly are positive. Don Smith ignored that, and said: When I was in Anchorage High School it was about 98% white students…today we’re 48% white 52% other and that’s clearly is causing problems. I think our numbers are dropping because we’re importing all these people that aren’t up to the standards that we had set for the school. Consequently it has drawn us downward not upward. “Don Smith's comments are very offensive, ignorant and extremely racist. He wants to be placed in a position responsible for making decisions regarding our children and school system is highly disturbing on so many levels. Anchorage deserves much better," said Anchorage NAACP President, Wanda V. Laws Daysha Eaton pointed out that actually the graduation was improving—not declining—and asked Don Smith how that was consistent with his previous comment. Smith said: We might be in a lucky period…it may be an anomaly. There’s a big push trying to take care of these new people coming to Anchorage…kids that were special needs, people that were from another country. Smith then complained that it would be impractical to deport non-white Anchorage residents, stating: We can’t tell all these people to go back to Indonesia or Africa or whatever country they’re from….We’re stuck between a rock and a hard place…Somebody has allowed us to be a refugee city. Daysha Eaton asked if some students’ challenges might be related to hunger and socioeconomic challenges. Of child hunger, Smith said: In some ways I think they’re overreacting. .Watch the video here, starting at 9:00. ###
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March 21, 2014 Contact: Kevin McGee, 441-2137 Students, UAA Leadership Speak Out Against Guns on Campus Anchorage NAACP calls on legislature to put student safety first ANCHORAGE: UAA President Pat Gamble joined students urging the state legislature not to pass SB 176 and HB 335, bills that would let students carry concealed weapons on campus. The Anchorage NAACP is calling on the legislature to stop this legislation that could increase gun violence. A student tweeted, "You can count on me to leave UAA if bill to allow guns on campus passes." University of Alaska President Pat Gamble also testified that the gun bill could cause students and faculty to leave the University of Alaska system. "The Alaska legislature should listen to administrators, students, and faculty of the University of Alaska system: More guns on campus would equal more gun violence. The legislature should put student safety first and reject SB 176 and HB 335," said Kevin McGee, 1st Vice President of the Anchorage NAACP. The Anchorage NAACP has taken a position in opposition to these bills that could increase gun violence on campus. The Anchorage NAACP supports higher college graduation rates and campus safety. ### |